REVIEW: Apple's new AirPods are a mixed bag

Nothing pairs better with a controversial move like
killing the headphone jack from the most popular consumer
product in history than releasing an equally controversial
accessory to go along with it.

Since Apple announced its new wireless AirPods, they’ve become
sources of both optimism and skepticism. A photo of my friend
Scott Stein from CNET wearing the AirPods quickly
went viral on Reddit and served as a focal point of anger
from Apple fans. Did Apple really make wireless headphones that
look like that?

Others have been
more optimistic, pointing to the built-in intelligence and
benefits of having Siri buzzing in your ear at all times.

I’ve been using the $159 AirPods since Apple announced them last
Wednesday, and they certainly are a mixed bag. They fit nicely in
my ears, they sound fine, and Apple finally solved the annoying
Bluetooth pairing process. I also enjoyed having a new way to
communicate with Siri.

At the same time, a lot about the AirPods make it apparent that
this is a version one product, especially when it comes to
controlling your music. And that design is likely to remain
controversial. Overall though, the AirPods are another example
that Apple is laying the groundwork for a future without wires
and new methods of interacting with our gadgets. That’s more than
enough to make the concept exciting.

The AirPods go on sale in October, and the version I’ve been
testing is a pre-production unit. So read everything in this
review with the caveat that things could get better before
launch.

What are AirPods?

The AirPods look nearly identical to Apple’s wired EarPods,
except with the wires snipped off at the bottom. Each AirPod has
a built-in microphone for phone calls and talking to Siri, and
they’re packed with extra technology like infrared sensors that
can detect when they’re in your ear and an accelerometer that can
detect when you tap each AirPod. (More on that later.)

They connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth, and will also work
with any other standard Bluetooth audio device. AirPods come with
a magnetic charging case that has its own battery for charging
your headphones while out and about. I have a full guide on how
the AirPods work right
here.

Pairing and listening

Think of AirPods as standard Bluetooth headphones with some extra
intelligence built into them. Each AirPod has a new W1 processing
chip inside that acts as the “brains” of the headphones. The W1
helps manage battery usage, tells your iPhone when the AirPods
are in your ears, and makes it super easy to pair to your iPhone,
Apple Watch, and Mac.

The pairing is one of the best features. Instead of poking
through settings and waiting for your headphones to appear in
your Bluetooth menu, all you do is flip open the AirPods’
charging case when it’s close to your iPhone. A little window
pops up that prompts you to pair — and boom. You’re all set.
Also, after pairing with your iPhone, the AirPods will
automatically pair with your Mac and Apple Watch if they’re
running the new macOS Sierra and watchOS 3 software updates,
respectively.

That may seem like a tiny detail, but if you’ve ever had trouble
pairing a Bluetooth accessory to your iPhone, you know how
valuable it is that Apple solved that problem.

Hollis Johnson/Business
Insider

The W1 chip also makes sure music doesn’t play through the
AirPods until you put them in your ears, thanks to the infrared
sensors in each one. For example, if you’re listening to music
from your iPhone’s speakers and then pop in the AirPods, the
music will automatically transfer to your AirPods. Since each
AirPod pairs individually with the iPhone, you can even use one
at a time if you want.

Put that all together, and you have a suite of impressive
features. AirPods are more than a simple pair of wireless
headphones pumping audio into your head. They’re constantly
working in the background to enhance the listening experience.

As for sound quality: I’m no audiophile, but to me, the AirPods
sound nearly identical to Apple’s wired EarPods. That’s obviously
good enough for millions of people — EarPods have been their
headphones of choice for years — but I expected more out of a
$159 pair of headphones. There’s a low bar for audio quality with
a free pair of headphones, but I was hoping for a boost if I’m
going to pay a premium for the AirPods.

Battery life is great though. Apple says you get up to five hours
of listening time, plus up to 24 if you charge them up with the
battery included in the carrying case. I think that’s more than
enough. I never felt like I was at risk of running out of
batteries. Just make sure you bring the case with you wherever
you go.

Questionable controls

Unlike Apple’s wired EarPods, there’s no dongle for controlling
your music, answering calls, or adjusting the volume. That means
you have to do everything through Siri or directly on your phone.
It’s easily the biggest drawback to the AirPods, and it will
likely be a deal breaker for many unless Apple comes up with a
software fix between now and launch.

Let’s take volume control, for example. If you’re listening to
music and want to turn up the volume, you have to double tap one
of the AirPods. That activates Siri, which in turn pauses your
music (ugh!) so you can say “raise the volume.” Then the music
resumes with the volume turned up. Compare that to simply tapping
on the volume button on the wired EarPods, and you can imagine
how annoying the process is.

Of course, you can still adjust the volume or switch tracks by
pulling out your phone or using your Apple Watch, but the fact
that there’s no seamless way to perform those actions from the
headphones seems like a major oversight to me. I would’ve liked
to see more tapping gestures added to the AirPods so users don’t
have to interrupt their music to make adjustments.

Hollis Johnson/Business
Insider

I also had difficulty controlling Spotify. While Apple Music
gives you full Siri control, from changing tracks to telling it
exactly which song you want to listen to, I couldn’t even get
Siri to reliably pause tracks in Spotify while using the AirPods.
Meanwhile, I’ve never had a problem controlling Spotify with my
wired EarPods. (Again, these issues could be resolved before the
AirPods launch.)

Luckily, you can change the AirPod settings so a double tap
enables play/pause for your music instead of launching Siri. It’s
not an ideal fix, and it still doesn’t address the volume control
issue, but it helps a little.

Overall, it seems like Apple missed a major opportunity to
improve controls while using the AirPods, or at least keep things
on par to using the dongle on the wired EarPods.

Siri

If you want a taste of the future, try using Siri with the new
AirPods.

AirPods are the first time you’re able to use Siri without being
tethered to your iPhone, and the implications for that are huge
as Apple’s digital assistant continues to evolve and become
smarter. Amazon proved with the Echo that there’s a
big opportunity to develop a computing platform controlled
entirely with your voice.

The only problem with that: Echo is stuck in your living room.
Siri and the AirPods are with you wherever you go.

By double tapping one of the AirPods, you can activate Siri and
use it just as you normally would. Although Siri still isn’t as
robust as some other assistants, I was still able to do a lot
with just my voice. Checking and sending text messages. Getting
weather and sports alerts. Making a phone call. Siri is already
at the point where you can do almost everything you want to do
without looking at your phone, and the AirPods make using those
features seamless.

Consider this the first step towards a future where we no longer
have to stare at a screen to get things done. Siri (or any other
digital assistant) can always be there, responding to your
queries by buzzing in your ear, almost like in the movie “Her.”
That alone makes the AirPods an incredibly intriguing product
despite the other issues.

Design

Out of the ear, the AirPods look just fine. They’re nearly
identical to the EarPods, minus all the annoying wires. The
design has become so ubiquitous over the years that it’s barely
noticeable, so I figured that’d be the same case with the
AirPods.

Until I put them on.

How do I
look?Hollis Johnson/Business
Insider

While the AirPods feel perfectly comfortable, they look kind of
goofy, like you’re wearing white plastic earrings or a
slimmer version of those Bluetooth headsets everyone had 10 years
ago. I got a few snickers wearing them around the office, and
felt a bit self conscious wearing them in front of dozens of
strangers on a recent flight. No wonder Scott’s photo went viral
last week. The AirPods literally stick out like a sore thumb.

Still, the AirPods stayed in my ears well. I never felt like
they’d slip out, even while walking around or working out at the
gym. And not having to wrestle with wires that tangle easily is a
huge advantage. They may look a little funky, but at least
they’re functional.

Just be careful. The AirPods are tiny and likely to get lost
if you’re not careful. My best advice is to put them right back
in the charging case as soon as you’re finished with them.

Skye Gould/Business Insider

Conclusion

There’s a lot to like about the AirPods. The intelligent pairing
and processing power of the W1 chip solve a lot of problems I
didn’t even realize wireless headphones had until now. And using
Siri without feeling tethered to my iPhone is a delight.

However, the lack of audio controls and the awkward design are
two major drawbacks for me. Hopefully Apple can develop some new
controls before or shortly after the AirPods go on sale.
Otherwise, I think it's going to turn off a lot of people. And
while it’s too late to do anything about the design, the AirPods
are at least comfortable and you don’t have to worry about them
falling out.

$159 is a big ask on top of a new $649 iPhone, and I was hoping
the AirPods would do a little more for that price. They may not
be the best wireless headphones you can buy, but I do think
they’ll push the category forward more than any other attempt so
far.